Various types of organic photoconductors are known. Most organic photoconductors are susceptible to attack by organic solvents of the type used in liquid toner electrophotography and are therefore unsuitable for such applications. These photoconductors include those which dissolve in the solvents and others which are caused to crack as the result of exposure thereto when they are under stress, especially under tension.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,532 describes a process for treating a flexible electrostatographic imaging web including a base layer and a layer including a thermoplastic polymer matrix. The process comprises forming a at least a segment of the web with the base layer of the web facing inwardly into an arc having a curvature between about 10 millimeters and about 25 millimeters, heating at least the polymer matrix in the segment to at least the glass transition temperature of the polymer matrix and cooling the imaging member to a temperature below the glass transition temperature of the polymer matrix while maintaining the segment of the web in the shape of the arc.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,165,570 discloses a method of treating an electrostatographic imaging member web that includes a support substrate and at least one imaging layer formed; over the support substrate. The electrostatographic imaging member web can optionally include no anti-curling back layer. The web is bent into an arcuate shape and heated to a temperature above the glass transition temperature of the imaging layer, The imaging layer is then cooled while in the arcuate shape to a temperature below the glass transition temperature, forming a substantially stress-free imaging layer when conforming to the arcuate shape.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,232,028 describes a method of processing a photoconductor by bending the photoconductor with the photoconductive layer facing outward without subjecting the photoconductor to substantial external stress other by virtue of said bending; heat treating the bend; and allowing the bend to cool.